Deleting registry keys does not change the size of the registry

[Bluehail]

It does not change the size of the files user.dat and system.dat. Under the assumption the values are just zeroed out and left, where the system just appends further data. Does anyone use a registry compactor and have they noticed decreased boot time, etc?

[BipolarBill]

Why are you asking? Do you have excessive boot times or are you just curious?

Which Windows version is this?

[pgriffet]

Scanreg /OPT in pure DOS mode will reduce your registry.

[G]

Invalid Registry entries will be deleted but empty registry cells will remain.

The empty registry cells can be removed by arranging the registry using a program such as WinRescue by www.superwin.com.

You may find that your system is more responsive and in some cases any registry errors you may have been experiencing from may be corrected.

I would first use www.superwin.com RegVac V2.1 in simply mode and then WinRescue’s RegPack (in Quick Mode where applicable) and then in Extended Mode. You can use RegVac in Advanced mode and delete unnecessary Registry stash entries, bad filenames and so forth thereafter.

This should help.

Back up your data first though.

G

[Bluehail]

Originally posted by BipolarBill
Why are you asking? Do you have excessive boot times or are you just curious?

Which Windows version is this?

Just curiousity. I have Win2k
I'll try that DOS registry opt in DOS on my other computer that has win 98. I'll guage its startup time after the optimization plus report the new size of the registry.

[Bluehail]

Originally posted by G
Invalid Registry entries will be deleted but empty registry cells will remain.

The empty registry cells can be removed by arranging the registry using a program such as WinRescue by www.superwin.com.........
This should help.

Back up your data first though.

G

Cool and its free too. Have you used it G?

[G]

I used to test both for the developer but we had a parting of the ways.

RegVac is not freeware but shareware but it is definitely worth buying. The initial price for each is reasonable and all updates minor and major are free thereafter.

WinRescue is not freeware but shareware but every subsequent WinRescue that you purchase for each OS is at a reduced price. All updates minor and major are free thereafter.

I would recommend buying RegVac and WinRescue (for each MS OS that you use).

You could simply use the trialware version and leave it at that.

Now that jv16 PowerTools has gone commercial, the only freeware version of this is V1.3.0.196 but it was buggy in parts but very good nevertheless.

I use RegVac as my primary registry cleaner and for client builds. I use WinRescue on client’s machines to reduce the registry size prior to giving it back to them.

Note: WinRescue is more than just a registry compactor.

G

[BipolarBill]

I experimented with it today and it works. It didn't fudge up the PC either.

[G]

What did you experiment with Bill?

[Bluehail]

Originally posted by G
I used to test both for the developer but we had a parting of the ways.

RegVac is not freeware but shareware but it is definitely worth buying. The initial price for each is reasonable and all updates minor and major are free thereafter.

WinRescue is not freeware but shareware but every subsequent WinRescue that you purchase for each OS is at a reduced price. All updates minor and major are free thereafter.

I would recommend buying RegVac and WinRescue (for each MS OS that you use).

You could simply use the trialware version and leave it at that.

Now that jv16 PowerTools has gone commercial, the only freeware version of this is V1.3.0.196 but it was buggy in parts but very good nevertheless.

I use RegVac as my primary registry cleaner and for client builds. I use WinRescue on client’s machines to reduce the registry size prior to giving it back to them.

Note: WinRescue is more than just a registry compactor.

G

I'll run the trial versions and see how they go. I'll also deliver information on any improved bootup times. Thanks G, BipolarBill, pgriffet. It'll be a few hours cuz I gotta eat, then clean.

[BipolarBill]

Originally posted by G
What did you experiment with Bill?

Both of the SuperWin products.

[Bluehail]

OK I'm back with the boot times. Windows 98 Machine
End of logo / Login box / Last tray icon
Before (avg) 19/37/1:09
After RegVac, and a WinRescure Regpack (Quick then Expanded)
19/37/1:10

No difference in bootup time.

system.dat did not compact but rather expanded another 4KB. user.dat went from 442K to 380K.

The RegVac isnt much better than the combined efforts of McAfee QuickClean Lite MRU cleaner and regedit.
What dissapoints about the Regpack feature of WinRescue... its just done through a batch file using regedit. I could program a batch file to do this ( I was the batch file king 8 years ago...). Im gonna see how it does it for XP on my brothers machine.

Nifty programs, but not worth the chunk of change charged so far. Maybe XP results will be better?

[pgriffet]

For XP : ERUNT to backup the registry which comes with NTREGOPT, the same tool as scanreg /OPT

http://home.t-online.de/home/lars.he...runt/erunt.zip (574 KB)

[cbh]

Don't you use RegCleaner for that purpose? It's much safer though!

[pgriffet]

Nope. Actually, the problem is not to clean the registry after uninstalling applications.

The point is that a lot of people ask for something to clean the registry once programs are installed. The solution is to use a snapshot tool which takes "pictures" of your registry and disk before and after you install something. Amazing to see the garbage which is written by a lot of programs and left when you uninstall.

Norton has a tool for monitoring registry changes but I recommend 3 freeware : Regshot or Total Uninstall which has an uninstall option or Inctrl5 (from Zdnet) which produces a html report with all modifications.

1) Regshot : 34 Kb ( http://regshot.yeah.net/ ). Reports in HTML format.

2) Total Uninstall : same as Regshot. Has a "Undo" function and a "regedit" look to show new/modified keys. Cares for the SharedDLLs. Reports in txt format. Able to uninstall an application.

http://www.geocities.com/ggmartau/do.../download.html (homepage)

http://www.simtel.net/pub/dl/61416.shtml

3) Inctrl5 (no more free download from ZDNET ?)

http://pascal.oudot.free.fr/telechar/logs/inctrl5.exe

I must say that some applications create keys when you use them for the first time and even later, depending on the options you use. It's maybe interesting to record the second snapshot after a while, not just after installation has ended. So it's very difficult to track everything but with such tools, you have more control on your system and (almost) all the "garbage" left by applications can be wiped.
The best for you is maybe to format and restart from scratch with Windows and then, track everything you install with a snapshot tool. I don't *hate* my Registry but I'm not ready to allow programs to leave garbage in my registry and my disk when I uninstall them.
Even if you have nothing to install, you can try one of this tool. Take the first "picture" when you start Windows and take the second just before the shutdown. You will see a lot of modifications in the registry and in your files. I do it since my last format and I keep the daily reports in an archive, so I know exactly when a key/file has been added/created/removed.

HTH and sorry for the basic English.